The present invention relates to a mounting device for a monitor, a flat monitor with such a mounting device and an assembly of a flat monitor, a drawer and a computer.
These days, flat monitors are manufactured in various sizes such as with a diagonal screen size of 42xe2x80x3. These monitors must be mounted securely on a wall, ceiling or perhaps on a table. Since a fall of these monitors could result in their destruction, a most diverse range of mounting devices is provided on the back of these monitors.
It would therefore be desirable and advantageous to provide an improved monitor to obviate prior art shortcomings.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a mounting device for a monitor, includes a box-like main body including a compartment with at least one computer connection point and a detachable connection to a rear side of the monitor.
The mounting device can be attached to and detached from the rear of the monitor. The invention is mindful of the fact that wall monitors for their operation normally require a computer and that this computer is usually placed near the wall monitor. This leads to the situation where, even if there is a good fixing arrangement for the monitor on the wall, a place has to be found for the computer where it can sit securely and it is out of the way. The box-like mounting device allows to provide a compartment within the mounting device with at least one computer connection socket. The computer can be placed into this compartment as if it were a drawer so that the computer is securely placed in the immediate vicinity of the monitor.
Within the context of this description, a computer is assumed to be a device which can take on the tasks of a computer. In a simple embodiment, this can be an electronic circuit board that can be plugged into the compartment. However, the plug-in computer can also be enclosed in a box, for example, and comprise further functional units such as switches, signal lights, sockets etc.
Thus, the mounting device allows a compact arrangement consisting of computer and monitor, which can be fixed to a wall, a ceiling or on a table.
It is advantageous if the mounting device outside of its compartment has a power connection point. This would make it possible to lead the power supply required for the computer and preferably also for the flat monitor via this connection point to the mounting device. Within the mounting device, the electrical current can then, for example, be distributed further via cabling.
A simple, practical embodiment provides for the mounting device to have a cable for connecting the computer connection point with the monitor. This makes it possible to have, on the mounting device, a simple plug-in connection for the monitor.
It is advantageous if the mounting device has a contact point for connecting the computer connection point with the monitor. This contact point can, for example, be in the form of a plug-socket arrangement or spring-loaded contact surfaces which, during the connection of the monitor with the mounting device, allow the relevant connection of the monitor to the computer connection point to take effect.
A practical embodiment provides that the mounting device has a power pack. This power pack can be used for supplying power to the computer as well as for supplying power to the monitor.
The mounting devices can be manufactured and distributed without including a computer. It is advantageous if the mounting device includes a computer that can be placed inside the compartment. This computer can then be adapted to the dimensions of the compartment or the compartment can be adapted to the dimensions of such a computer.
A simple sliding in and retracting of the computer can be achieved by attaching a handle to the slide-in computer.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a flat monitor is combined with such a mounting device.
For such flat monitors, it is advantageous if the circumferential line of the rear side of the flat monitor is approximately equivalent to the circumferential line of the mounting device. This ensures that the mounting device in the area of the attachment surface for the monitor is suitable in its dimensions for the monitor. Thus, a compact, aesthetically pleasing assembly of the flat monitor is achieved.
It is advantageous if the mounting device has the approximate depth of the flat monitor. Happily, it has been found that such a mounting device can be manufactured such that it is only insignificantly thicker than the monitor and can even be manufactured in a thickness less than a flat monitor.
A particularly suitable assembly of flat monitor and mounting device can be achieved when at least one lateral surface of the flat monitor is in line with one lateral surface of the mounting device. Preferably, all four edge surfaces of the mounting device are in line with the edge surfaces of the flat monitor so that the mounting device forms a matching unit with the flat monitor.
A safe arrangement of the computer in the mounting device is achieved by placing the compartment near the upper edge of the flat monitor. This allows the computer to slide into the mounting device in the direction of gravity. A computer held in such a manner need not, as is the case in other applications, be secured against sliding out of the mounting device.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, an arrangement includes a flat monitor, a drawer compartment and a computer where the flat monitor is connected in a detachable manner to the drawer compartment, the computer can slide into the drawer compartment, and the computer is connected to the drawer compartment via a plug-in data connection.
This allows the connection of various known types of flat monitor to a computer via a drawer compartment. The execution of the drawer compartment can be individually adapted to a special flat monitor or an adaptor can be provided between the drawer compartment and the flat monitor, which allows that the drawer compartment has a detachable connection to the flat monitor.
Since the computer, when sliding into the drawer compartment, is positively guided, it is possible to make that connection as a result of the computer sliding into the drawer compartment. For the drawer makes it possible to guide the computer accurately enough so that a plug attached to the computer can engage with a socket fixed to the drawer compartment or a socket attached to the computer is pushed into a plug fixed to the drawer compartment.
It is advantageous when the drawer compartment is placed on the rear side of the flat monitor. That makes the flat monitor slightly thicker. However, the drawer compartment can be used for fixing the flat monitor at a wall or ceiling once mounting attachments have been fixed to the drawer compartment.
The assembly in terms of the invention is particularly suited for large flat monitors. In that case in particular, the drawer compartment is smaller than the flat monitor.
If the drawer compartment is attached to the rear side of the flat monitor and is smaller than the flat monitor, it has the advantage that, when viewing the screen of the flat monitor, the drawer compartment is not visible.
Various devices have been developed for monitors to be mounted on a ceiling, a wall or a stand. These devices have to be adapted individually to the various types of flat monitor and are expensive to make. Therefore, it is proposed to equip the drawer compartment with an apparatus for attaching the assembly to a ceiling, a wall or a stand. The drawer compartment is preferably designed such that it can be fitted, in a detachable manner, to various monitors either directly or via an adaptor. Thus, an apparatus, fixed to the drawer compartment, for attaching the assembly to a ceiling, a wall or a stand has the advantage that the drawer compartment can remain attached to the ceiling, the wall or the stand while either the monitor can be removed from the drawer compartment or the computer can be pulled out of the drawer compartment. Thus, especially the components prone to break-downs, such as monitor and computer, can simply and easily be pulled out of the drawer compartment or detached from the drawer compartment and be replaced by an exchange unit.